Smolak Farms of North Andover, Massachusetts has integrated solar energy on their 130-acre historic New England farm. The 9.6 kilowatt grid-tied array, installed in 2006, produces enough electricity to power their barn, main office, residence, electric utility vehicles, and a new high-efficiency drip irrigation system. The PV system feeds electricity directly into the utility meter, and does not require any batteries. When solar production exceeds the farm’s usage, the meter actually spins backwards, crediting their account. The solar system consists of 80 Evergreen Solar 120 watt panels, and four Solectria Renewables PVI 2500 inverters. The array, artistically constructed to resemble rows of crops, will be featured as part of Smolak Farms’ educational program to address the next generation of sustainable living technologies.

Solar is a clean, renewable source of energy, and today’s advanced equipment makes it affordable and reliable.  This array was made possible with a rebate from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Renewable Energy Trust and was integrated by Nexamp, Inc., of North Andover, MA.